Gas spring assembly and method of assembling same

Abstract

A gas spring assembly includes an end member, a piston assembly and a flexible sleeve secured therebetween. An end closure secures an end of the flexible sleeve to the piston assembly. A connector fitting connects the end closure to a support post of the piston assembly. The connector fitting includes a fitting passage and a first annular groove. A jounce bumper assembly is supported on the connector fitting. The jounce bumper assembly includes a bumper body and a bumper mount. The bumper mount includes securement pin having a second annular groove. A retaining member is received within the first and second annular grooves such that the jounce bumper assembly can freely rotate relative to the connector fitting while substantially restricting axial displacement of the jounce bumper assembly relative to the piston assembly during such rotation.

The invention clamed is: 
     
       1. A gas spring assembly comprising;
 a first end member; 
 a piston assembly disposed in longitudinally-spaced relation to said first end member, said piston assembly including:
 a piston base; 
 a piston body supported on said piston base and including a longitudinally-extending axis, a first end, a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, a side wall extending between said first and second ends and an end wall extending transverse to said side wall along said first end, said end wall including a first opening formed therethrough, and said side wall at least partially defining a second opening along said second end of said body that is adapted to receive at least a portion of said base; and, 
 a support post extending longitudinally between opposing first and second ends of said piston body, said support post including a first end received within said first opening of said end wall of said piston body and a second end operatively connected to said piston base; 
 
 a flexible wall extending between opposing first and second ends, said first end of said flexible wall operatively connected to said first end member such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween, said second end of said flexible wall disposed along said piston assembly such that a rolling-lobe is formed along said side wall of said piston body and a spring chamber is at least partially defined between said first end member and said piston assembly; 
 an end closure received along said second end of said flexible wall and secured to said piston assembly such that at least a portion of said flexible wall is captured between said end closure and said end wall of said piston assembly, said end closure including a first wall portion with a third opening extending therethrough, said end closure positioned along said piston assembly such that said third opening is disposed in approximate alignment with said first opening of said end wall of said piston body; 
 a connector fitting extending longitudinally between said end closure and said support post, said connector fitting including a first end disposed in abutting engagement with said end closure and a second end opposite said first end and operatively connected to said support post, said connector fitting including a passage wall extending longitudinally into said connector fitting from along said first end thereof to at least partially define a fitting passage having a passage axis, said passage wall including a first annular groove extending radially outward into said connector fitting; 
 a jounce bumper supported on one of said end closure and said connector fitting, said jounce bumper including:
 a bumper body with an end surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage said first end member; 
 a bumper mounting surface facing opposite said end surface of said bumper body; and, 
 a securement pin that extends longitudinally outward beyond said bumper mounting surface in a direction opposite said end surface of said bumper body, said securement pin including a second annular groove disposed therealong and extending radially inward into said securement pin, and said securement pin dimensioned for receipt into said fitting passage such that said first and second annular grooves can be at least approximately aligned with one another; and, 
 
 a retaining member at least partially received within said first and second annular grooves to retain said jounce bumper on said one of said end closure and said connector fitting such that said jounce bumper is indefinitely rotatable about said passage axis while substantially restricting axial displacement of said jounce bumper to a substantially-fixed axial position relative to said piston assembly during said rotation. 
 
     
     
       2. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a connector chamber is at least partially defined between at least a portion of said end closure and at least a portion of said end wall of said piston body. 
     
     
       3. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of said connector fitting and said support post is disposed within said connector chamber. 
     
     
       4. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said end wall of said piston body has a first frustoconical wall portion that at least partially defines said connector chamber. 
     
     
       5. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said end wall of said piston body has a second frustoconical wall portion disposed radially outward from said first frustoconical wall portion and radially outward beyond said connector chamber. 
     
     
       6. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein said end wall of said piston body includes a first planar wall portion extending radially inward from said first frustoconical wall portion and said first opening of said end wall extends through said first planar wall portion. 
     
     
       7. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein said support post includes a first side wall portion having a first cross-sectional dimension and a second side wall portion having a second cross-sectional dimension that is greater than said first cross-sectional dimension such that a shoulder wall is at least partially defined therebetween. 
     
     
       8. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein said first opening in said end wall of said piston body has an opening cross-sectional dimension that is complimentary to said first cross-sectional dimension of said first side wall portion of said support post such that said first side wall portion is at least partially received in said first opening and at least a portion of said end wall is disposed adjacent said shoulder wall. 
     
     
       9. A gas spring according to  claim 1 , wherein said retaining member includes one of an elastomeric sealing ring, a conical disc-spring and a split-ring washer. 
     
     
       10. A gas spring assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said connector fitting sealingly engages said end closure such that a substantially fluid-tight seal is formed therebetween. 
     
     
       11. A method of assembling a gas spring assembly, said method comprising;
 providing a piston assembly including a piston base, a piston body and a support post, said piston body including a first end, a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, a side wall extending between said first and second ends of said piston body and an end wall extending transverse to said side wall along said first end of said piston body, said side wall at least partially defining a first opening along said second end of said piston body that is dimensioned to receive said piston base, said end wall including a second opening extending therethrough, said support post extending longitudinally between first and second ends thereof; 
 providing a flexible wall including a first end and a second end disposed generally opposite said first end of said flexible wall; 
 providing an end closure including a first wall portion with an opening extending therethrough and a second wall portion disposed radially-outwardly from said first wall portion, and inserting said end closure within said first end of said flexible wall such that said second wall portion is in abutting engagement with said first end of said flexible wall; 
 providing a connector fitting including a fitting body extending longitudinally between opposing first and second ends thereof, and operatively connecting said connector fitting with said end closure; 
 positioning said end closure along said end wall of said piston body such that at least a portion of said flexible wall adjacent said first end thereof is captured between said second wall portion of said end closure and said end wall of said piston body; 
 inserting said first end of said support post through said second opening in said end wall of said piston body and operatively connecting said first end of said support post to said second end of said connector fitting to thereby secure said first end of said flexible wall between said second wall portion of said end closure and said end wall of said piston body; 
 positioning said piston base along said second end of said piston body, and securing said piston base to said second end of said support post; 
 providing a jounce bumper including a bumper body with a first end surface, a bumper mounting surface facing away from said first end surface, and a securement pin extending approximately longitudinally outward beyond said bumper mounting surface in a direction opposite said bumper body; 
 attaching said jounce bumper to said connector fitting through non-rotating axial displacement of said jounce bumper and said connector fitting relative to one another and such that said jounce bumper is indefinitely rotatable relative to said connector fitting while substantially restricting longitudinal displacement of said jounce bumper to a substantially-fixed axial position relative to said connector fitting during said rotation; and, 
 providing an end member, and operatively connecting said end member across said second end of said flexible wall to form a substantially fluid-tight seal therewith and thereby at least partially define a spring chamber between said end member and said piston assembly. 
 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said action of operatively connecting said connector fitting to said end closure includes forming a substantially fluid-tight seal between said connector fitting and said end closure. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein said action of providing a connector fitting includes providing a connector fitting including a passage wall extending into said fitting body that at least partially defines a fitting passage having an axis, and said action of attaching said jounce bumper to said connector fitting includes inserting said securement pin into said fitting passage of said connector fitting. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said action of providing a connector fitting includes providing a connector fitting that includes a first annular groove extending radially outward into said connector fitting along said passage wall, said action of providing a jounce bumper includes providing a second annular groove extending radially inward into said securement pin, and said method further comprising: providing a retaining member;
 installing said retaining member into one of said first and second annular grooves; and, 
 installing said retaining member into the other of said first and second annular grooves by inserting at least said securement pin into said fitting passage of said connector fitting. 
 
     
     
       15. A piston and jounce bumper assembly dimensioned for securement to an associated flexible wall, said piston and jounce bumper assembly comprising:
 a piston having a longitudinally-extending axis and including a first end, a second end spaced longitudinally from said first end, a side wall portion at least partially disposed between said first and second ends, an end wall portion extending transverse to said side wall portion along said first end, and a base wall portion extending transverse to said side wall portion toward said second end in spaced relation to said end wall portion, and said piston dimensioned to receivingly engage the associated flexible wall such that an associated rolling lobe of the associated flexible wall can be formed along said side wall portion of said piston; 
 a connector fitting accessible from along said first end of said piston, said connector fitting including first and second ends with said first end of said connector fitting oriented toward said end wall portion of said piston and said second end of said connector fitting oriented toward said base wall portion of said piston, said connector fitting including a passage surface extending longitudinally into said connector fitting from along said first end thereof to at least partially define a fitting passage having a passage axis, said passage surface including a first groove oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and extending into said connector fitting; 
 a jounce bumper including:
 a bumper body with an end surface dimensioned to abuttingly engage an associated gas spring end member; 
 a bumper mounting surface facing opposite said end surface of said bumper body; and, 
 a securement pin that projects longitudinally outward beyond said bumper mounting surface in a direction opposite said end surface of said bumper body, said securement pin including a second groove disposed therealong, said second groove being oriented transverse to said longitudinal axis and extending into said securement pin, said securement pin dimensioned for receipt into said fitting passage under non-rotating axial displacement of said jounce bumper such that said first and second grooves can be at least approximately aligned with one another; and, 
 
 a retaining member operatively disposed between said jounce bumper and said connector fitting and at least partially received within said first and second grooves such that said jounce bumper is indefinitely rotatable about said passage axis while substantially restricting axial displacement of said jounce bumper to a substantially-fixed axial position relative to said piston assembly during said rotation. 
 
     
     
       16. An assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein at least one of said first and second grooves is an endless, annular groove. 
     
     
       17. An assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein each of said first and second grooves are endless, annular grooves. 
     
     
       18. An assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said retaining member includes one of an elastomeric sealing ring, a conical disc-spring and a split-ring washer. 
     
     
       19. An assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said end wall portion includes a first opening formed therethrough, and said assembly further comprises:
 a support post including first and second ends with said first end of said support post oriented toward said first opening of said end wall portion of said piston and operatively secured to said connector fitting and with said second end of said support post operatively connected to said base wall portion of said piston. 
 
     
     
       20. An assembly according to  claim 15  further comprising an end closure secured to said piston such that at least a portion of the associated flexible wall is captured between said end closure and said end wall portion of said piston, said end closure including a first wall portion with an opening extending therethrough, said first wall portion secured to said connector fitting such that said fitting passage is accessible through said opening in said first wall portion.